


Hunters

by anonymousComrade



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Ancestorfic, Gen, Side Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-21
Updated: 2011-07-02
Packaged: 2017-10-19 16:06:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/202687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonymousComrade/pseuds/anonymousComrade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When one of the Alternian army's weapon prototypes is stolen in a raid, The Guild of Bounty Hunterminators sends two of its brightest to retrieve it.</p><p>Well. One of its brightest, and her bumbling sidekick.</p><p>(a side-story to Re: Champion)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which characters are established.

_([Meanwhile.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/175267/chapters/289609))_

>Who's this crazy bitch?

Your name is not important. Furthermore, it's probably better that no record of it is made, as your enemies (and you have made quite a few of them to get where you are now, make no mistake about that) could use that information against you, and if there's anything you're good at, it's controlling the flow of information. Other than your superiors, you have told no one your name, save your partner, and that was merely an unfortunate side effect of being broodmates with her.

You are a member of THE GUILD OF BOUNTY HUNTERMINATORS, Alternia's worst-kept secret. For a shadowy government-funded secret clan of assassins and spies whose primary objective is to bring in enemy targets of importance, The Guild is rather well-known amongst the general populace. Most of what they think they know is hyperbole and exaggeration, though. If The Guild had half the influence, power and numbers as the urban legends claim, it would be the largest combined effort in troll history. But it's that reputation that brings a chill to the spines and spine-analogues of fugitives of all species across the galaxy. Fear is the greatest weapon in your arsenal, but your organization is not omnipotent.

No, The Guild, and Bounty Hunterminators themselves, are just ordinary trolls. Trolls who happen to be excellent at what they do and leave no trace of their presence while doing so, but ordinary trolls nonetheless. You are a particularly promising member of The Guild; it takes most members a sweep what you have managed to accomplish in perigrees.

There is no squad with a humorously apocalyptic-themed name that you belong to. You report to no one, save the Chief, and you're pretty sure he's not even on this ship. Decentralization is the Guild's policy; you are not entirely sure whether there are _any_ Bounty Hunterminators aboard, with the exception of your partner, of course. You either work only with her, or far more often, alone, typically stalking your target for days at a time; waiting for the precise moment when you can move in, unseen, undetected; draw your weapon; take careful aim, and---

Someone tackles you from behind, knocking you to the ground. Your blade would be half-embedded in your assailant's torso if you didn't already know who it was. She does this shit _all the time_ and you have _never_ been able to see it coming, because she is the sneakiest there is. You swear, if she weren't your best friend you would have punched her in the snout to establish aggression a long time ago.

"Hey, Aitris! What'cha doin'?" If your arms weren't pinned to the ground, now would be the perfect time for a facepalm 2x combo.

Badass introductions wasted: 1/2

==>

You go by the name of AITRIS, though you still refuse to reveal your last name. There must be a couple dozen other trolls who share your first name on this ship alone, let alone thousands more in the galaxy, so that particular reveal isn't likely to put you in any real danger, you suppose.

You and your fellow Guild member, BYAKKA, stand in your shared respiteblock. Both of you have a number of interests, the vast majority of which are highly irrevelant. All Bounty Hunterminators are outfitted with an impressive Strife Portfolio, including two types of firearms and a melee weapon. You and Byakka both possess the Handgunkind specibus. You have also allocated Riflekind and Bladekind, while Byakka specializes in Machinegunkind and Clawkind.

The sound of the fax machine printing out an incoming message interrupts your train of thought. You are not sure why the Chief insists on using such outdated methods of communication, especially when the army has developed a perfectly good instant messaging system, but you go along with it. At least it's so loud that it's impossible to not notice a new assignment coming in.

>Aitris: Quickly retrieve printed message from antique device.

You pluck the page from the machine and glance over it. It's a new mission, and you and Byakka will be working together for this one. Seems like some seafaring douchebag back on Alternia raided an R&D lab and stole the prototype of some new weapon, and it's up to you and Byakka to sneak in, take it back, and if he's working on production, blow the place sky-high. You are to leave within the hour.

Sounds like an average assignment to you.

>Aitris and Byakka: Make ready for departure.

The two of you proceed to your shared personal interstellar vehicle. As with all the missions before this one, you find the storage compartment stocked with the gear you'll need.

You have no idea who does this.

>Check inventory.

After popping the back hatch, taking stock of your supplies, and realizing you could have just read the note your supplier left behind instead of doing it manually, you find yourself in possession of the following items:

* *  
Two (2) standard-issue Guild handguns (your ALTERNIAN PEACEMAKER and Byakka's EQUALIZER)  
One (1) bolt-action sniper rifle (THE INSPECTOR'S ASSOCIATE)  
One (1) sub-machine gun (PEZZ INDUSTRIES PRAY-N-SPRAY)  
Six (6) 12-round HANDGUN CLIPS  
Eighteen (18) SNIPER RIFLE ROUNDS  
Three (3) 30-round SMG MAGAZINES  
Zero (0) melee weapons (because you keep those on you at all times)  
Three (3) packages of Blammo! brand PLASTIC EXPLOSIVE (timed and remote DETONATORS included)  
Two (2) doses of REVERSE HEMOSHIFT (to conceal your blood identities)  
Two (2) forged CASTE BADGES (to conceal your social identities)  
Four (4) bags of Trollberto brand Teriyaki-style MUSCLEBEAST JERKY (to keep your energy up in the field, because it never goes bad, and it's tasty)  
Two (2) CYANIDE CAPSULES (you are 100% certain you will never use these, ever, because you're too good to get captured)  
* *

>Aitris and Byakka: Board craft and depart.

Good idea. Alternia's a quarter of a lightsweep from your current position, and while this craft is equipped with an FTL drive, it'll still take most of a day to get there.

>Aitris and Byakka: Administer Reverse Hemoshift.

Also a good idea. This stuff takes most of a day to fully take effect, and if you're going to blend in with this guy's goons, the two of you are going to need to not be in the middle-highs of the hemospectrum.

How'd you know to do that, anyway? It's like you've got experience with this stuff. But that would be silly.

You also apply the forged caste badges to your clothing. You can't half-ass the lowblooded thug disguise, after all.

You strap yourself into the pilot's seat; Byakka takes the gunner position and does the same. You punch in the startup sequence and the engine slowly hums to life. You key in another sequence and the hangar's energy field activates to keep the ship's atmosphere in while the hangar doors open.

You grip the flight stick and step on the gas. The hangar doors close behind you as your craft exits the ship. Then you activate the autopilot and head back to the bunk to get some sleep, because _fuck_ sitting in this chair and staring at space for the next sixteen hours.

Byakka does the same. It pays to be well-rested before the start of a mission, after all.

 _(Later.)_

>Aitris: Land the ship already.

You can't land the ship. You're too busy being asleep!

>Byakka: Land the ship already.

Okay.

Usually it's Aitris or the autopilot landing the craft, but you've had to do it yourself more than a few times, and you haven't destroyed the ship yet!

Well, except for that one time, but that totally wasn't your fault and The Guild only had to dock your next _two_ paychecks for a new one anyway, so no real harm done, right?

Anyway, time to concentrate. Fire retros as the craft plunges through the Alternian atmosphere, deploy aurocorrect system, decrease descent speed. Over there, that's about a night's hike from the target, land there. You maneuver the craft over your chosen landing spot and pick a nice, clear, even area to touch down in.

Fire retros, descend slowly. Gotta be careful about this. Just a touch further, aaaaaand

*CRUNCH*

GodDAMNIT you forgot to deploy the landing gear again.

>Aitris: Be rudely awoken by the sound of metal scraping against rock.

Way ahead of you, chief.

Welp, you've definitely landed. That horrible scraping noise usually means Byakka has forgotten to deploy the landing gear again.

>Aitris: Step outside and check the damage.

You were right. Fucking hell, you'll have to call for evac, there's no way you'll be able to restore the craft to working order by yourselves. You pull out your portable two-way communication device and punch in a message to The Guild. Not long afterward, you receive your reply.

You have three days before your ride gets here. In that time, you are to infiltrate the thief's hideout, steal back the prototype weapon, and blow the place to hell.

>Aitris: Start the mission.

You divide the weapons, ammunition and supplies up evenly between you and Byakka as you prepare for the night-long trek. It will not easy; you will be racing against daybreak and evading musclebeasts the entire way. But it is nothing you aren't prepared for.

Three days.

Two hunters.

One prototype.

Let's get to work, shall we?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is a tie-in.
> 
> Yes, both of these characters are important.
> 
> Yes, the guy who stole the prototype is probably exactly who you think it is.
> 
> No, I can't reveal who our protagonists are. (EDIT: well okay I guess I can reveal who one of them is, I mean come on it's pretty obvious who Byakka is)
> 
> But you can guess.


	2. Infiltration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HATE TABLE TAGS I HATE TABLE TAGS **I HATE TABLE TAGS**
> 
> Every time I try to fix something, something else in the table fucks up and arghhgkjsdnfklsndklcna
> 
> WHY DOES IT KEEP ADDING LINE BREAKS IN MY FUCKING TABLE
> 
> WHO CODED THIS CONKSUCK WEBSITE ANYWAY? IMMIGRANTS??
> 
> Okay fuck it, the inventory table doesn't get special formatting because AO3 is being a useless piece of shit and falling down all these line breaks
> 
> Sorry guys

_(Eight hours later.)_

>Aitris and Byakka: Arrive already.

Done.

You manage to arrive at the thief's hideout by the coast right before sunrise without too much difficulty. There is one run-in with a particularly territorial musclebeast, but it was nothing you and your partner couldn't handle.

SUPPLIES REMAINING:

AITRIS  
ALTERNIAN PEACEMAKER (12/12 rounds)  
THE INSPECTOR'S ASSOCIATE (5/5 rounds)  
Double-bladed sword: CUELEBRE'S TALONS  
2 12-round HANDGUN CLIPS  
17 SNIPER RIFLE ROUNDS  
1.5 bags of MUSCLEBEAST JERKY  
1 CYANIDE CAPSULE

BYAKKA  
EQUALIZER (9/12 rounds)  
PEZZ INDUSTRIES PRAY-N-SPRAY (30/30 rounds)  
Claw gloves: LOGAN'S PIGSTICKERS  
2 12-round HANDGUN CLIPS  
3 30-round SMG MAGAZINES  
1.5 bags of MUSCLEBEAST JERKY  
3 PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES  
1 CYANIDE CAPSULE

There are no caves or other structures in the immediate vicinity of this place, so you will have to take refuge from the blistering sun within the hideout. Should you be discovered, the measures you have taken to conceal your identities should allow you to blend in with the other hired thugs.

>Aitris and Byakka: Enter.

You'll have to scope out a suitable entry point first. Obviously, simply trying to walk through the front door won't do you any good. Even if there weren't a burly armed guard stationed there, you find it very hard to believe you could bypass the heavy iron gate blocking the entrance without raising suspicion.

No, you'll have to inspect the security fence's entire perimeter for a weakness you can exploit without making a racket and sounding the alarm. You'd better do it fast, too, unless you want to be burnt alive, because the red tint in the horizon means the sun's about to rise. You have no time to spare, so _oh good lord Byakka's already through._

How does she keep doing that.

>Byakka: Explain yourself.

"There's a bent section of fence about 25 distance units west, just barely big enough for me to squirm through. You shouldn't have any trouble getting through either!"

You make your way west and by the Empress, she's right. Well, that was easier than expected.

>Aitris and Byakka: Enter the building.

This won't be as easy as just finding a bend in the security fence through sheer dumb luck. The only obvious entrance, again, is the front door, which, in case you'd forgotten, is manned by an armed guard. There are a few second-story windows in the back of the building but you didn't bring any climbing gear _oh come ON._

You sigh. That doesn't seem to stop Byakka. Girl's got the agility of a purrbeast.

>Byakka: Scale the wall effortlessly.

The side of the building is build from some seriously low-grade wood, and the building itself is only two stories tall. There's no way such a small structure could house just the _supplies_ a raiding crew capable of attacking an army R &D facility would need, let alone the crew itself. Most of the structure has to be underground or underwater, so they could probably afford to skimp on building materials for the above-ground portion. And oh man, did they ever. This shit is most definitely not up to code.

Your claws sink easily enough into the wall. You're actually kind of surprised your body weight doesn't cause them to just slice through it to the ground as you use them to climb to the window. Who even built this bulgesuck shack anyway? Off-worlders?

You make your way up to the window, work a claw under the glass and pop it open without any real trouble. These idiots don't keep their fence fixed or their windows locked, they're just asking for a break-in.

>Byakka: Help Aitris in.

Aitris isn't quite as adept at climbing as you are, so you search the room for a rope or some cable or anything that'll get your partner inside.

You find a length of apiculture network cabling. It'll have to do. You toss one end out of the open window and give Aitris a thumbs-up, then you tie the other end around your waist, lie down, plant your feet against the wall and grab hold.

>Aitris: Climb.

Is she serious? Network cable. Fucking _network cable._ Well, it _is_ kind of thick. You guess it has to be, or the bees would eat through it.

You give it a couple of tugs, and it does not snap. Yeah, you suppose this could work.

You ascend the wall using the cable, hand over hand, inches at a time. It takes you a while but at no point does the network cable threaten to snap, unravel or break.

You captchalogue the cable once you enter the room. Who knows, maybe it'll come in handy later.

>Aitris and Byakka: Examine surroundings.

You are in a supply closest of some sort. Tools, jugs of paint, and other assorted items line the shelves on the walls.

The rest of the floor is similarly unimpressive. Everything is dusty and there's old junk and bits of scrap found here and there, but there's nothing particularly interesting.

==>

You make your way downstairs. The only other person here is the front guard, unaware of your intrusion. This is the place mentioned in the mission briefing, no question about that, but there's nothing here.

At least, on the surface. There's gotta be more to this place, but how to get there is eluding you. There are no other stairs, and a quick search of the rooms at ground level indicate no obvious point of entry.

An extended search turns up nothing, either. You and Byakka meet up in a small room with no obvious purpose to discuss how you're going to progress. You're hypothesizing that maybe this building is a decoy and that the _real_ entrance must be in another one nearby when Byakka's hand smacks against a discolored section of wall as she stretches her arms.

The floor starts lowering. This wasn't a room, this was an elevator. It descends into a clear glass tube, underwater, giving you your first clear look at the true scope of the facility.

This place is fucking _huge_. And your partner discovered the entrance to it completely by blundering her way into it.

Or did she? Sometimes, she makes you wonder.

>Byakka: Gloat about how obvious the elevator's location was.

You can't! You're too busy wondering how the hell you did that.

>Aitris: Prepare for arrival.

Suddenly, you realize you've been traveling down a clear glass tube for the last five minutes. If there's someone who watches the elevator, they've most definitely spotted you.

But that would be silly, right? I mean, the entrance was hidden really well. Surely there's nobody who's entire reason for being here is to watch the elevator come down. That would be ridiculous.

Finally, the elevator begins to slow its descent, then comes to a stop. The door slides open to reveal three rather muscular trolls armed with scimitars. The one in front asks you, "'ey, who're you mugs?"

Son of a _bitch._

>Aitris: Bluff.

You open your mouth to speak, but Byakka beats you to it.

"Hi! We're Aitris and Byakka, the new recruits!" If it wouldn't blow your now-flimsy cover, you'd facepalm so hard it'd probably kill you.

She must have said something right, though, because the guards lower their weapons. "Oh, okay. Da boss said he was spectin' new guys. Didn't say it was a coupla ladies though. Eh, whatever, help's help, am I right? Dis way, ladies."

He leads you to what you presume is meant to be your respiteblock. "The two 'a ya will be stayin' here. Nice view, ain't it?" He must be referring to the porthole, and you have to admit, the way the light of the rising sun illuminates the depths is kind of nice.

"Yeah, da boss takes care of his, ya know? Not like dat crazy bitch, da Marquise, oh no. I used ta serve on her crew, buncha filthy degenerates, the lot of 'em. But our Boss, he's a class act, all da way. Well, I'll be seein' you ladies around. Get some rest, we gotta load Boss's ship once sundown hits." And with that, the goons exit the room.

You glare at Byakka. "Well, this is a fine mess we've gotten ourselves into. That was some quick thinking you showed back there, but, I have to ask..."

"Yeah, Aitris?"

"Why the hell did you give them our _real_ names?"

"I didn't!" She giggles, and you are not entirely sure you want to know why. " _I'm_ Aitris, and _you're_ Byakka. Pretty sneaky, right?"

You groan. How did Byakka _ever_ make it through training?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I still love the idea of Nepeta's ancestor as a bumbling sidekick, but she's gotta be sort of competent, at least. After all, she works for The Guild (capital T, capital G, so you know they're all business), and she wouldn't make it in her line of work otherwise, right?
> 
> I suppose that's why they partner her with Aitris, to try to keep her more impulsive actions in check.


	3. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our heroines get what they came here for. Or do they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh, formatting these is such a pain, it's never right the first time

DAWN OF THE THIRD DAY

\- 24 hours remain -

>Aitris and Byakka: Investigate.

Oh _hell_ no. Trying to blend in with hired muscle by loading cargo into a ship for two days is hard work. You haven't been found out yet, but all that heavy lifting has left you a bit sore. Guild training focuses on things like endurance running, combat fitness and agility training.

Pushing around heavy crates all night? Not so much.

You do need to continue the mission at some point, and soon. You know a few places where the prototype _isn't_ , but you haven't discovered where it _might_ be yet, and you have no clue _what_ it actually is, thanks to the purposefully-vague mission briefing, so you really ought to get cracking.

But damn, does the feel of cool sopor against your skin ever soothe your aching muscles.

 _(An hour later.)_

>Byakka: Do some snooping.

Okay!

Aitris is asleep in the recuperacoon on her side of the respiteblock. Your partner is probably still sore from all that work the two of you had to do. Poor girl, she's not used to manual labor, it seems.

But you grew up in the wilds of Alternia, having to fend for yourself most of the time. More than once did you have to drag a fresh kill weighing more than yourself back to your cave, and you had to do so while avoiding unwanted attention from the musclebeasts. You know how to cover your tracks, how to proceed carefully and silently. Most importantly, you know how to follow your prey without raising suspicions.

Tracking down the location of this mysterious "prototype" shouldn't be too hard.

==>

Some eavesdropping on the day guards on your part reveals little information, but what little you have gleaned may be enough to lead to the prototype weapon's discovery. Apparently, there's some kind of "important cargo" being held deep within the underwater facility... deeper than most hired goons (like the ones you and Aitris and pretending to be) have security clearance for.

The question now, you wonder to yourself as you pace near the first locked door you encounter, is how to _bypass_ the security. You have some skills in the art of lockpicking; alas, the door is sealed with an electronic lock. Aitris knows a little about hacking into electronic security systems; unfortunately, she is still asleep back in the respiteblock.

Suddenly, your eye catches sight of a grate in the ceiling. Perfect! Ventilation shafts are and will always be a reliable and safe method of travel for you and anyone else, at all times. You are 100% certain of this.

>Byakka: Get up there!

-Lv. 32 SPAZTECH: OUT-NUTSING DOOSTY-

To get up to the grate, you are going nuts all over this wall. You are better than it. You spring up the wall, at least fast enough to punch the grate out of the ceiling.

Turns out it's on a hinge and opens easily by itself. Who would have thunk it? You climb into the vent with no trouble and begin exploring.

==>

From there, it's simply a process of elimination. Most of the rooms you can view from the ventilation system are empty, but one contains a conspicuously marked box. You pop open the vent and drop into the room.

Carefully, you slide off the cover of the box. The prototype is some kind of rifle, blue with a faintly glowing crystal in place of the barrel. Lying atop the gun is a slip of paper; it must be the schematics for the weapon.

>Byakka: Check schematics.

You give the note a quick glance.

PROPERTY OF THE ALTERNIAN ARMY

Prototype energy weapon, reverse-engineered from Oni weapons acquired on the field of battle

XR-6 Laser Rifle, codename "   
AHAB'S CROSSHAIRS   
"

You don't read any further than that because most of the rest of the note is technical specs and jargon that only the gearheads in Army Research and Development could understand.

>Byakka: Captchalogue the prototype and escape.

Already on it!

You make your way out of the restricted areas, choosing to remain in the air ducts rather than risk being found in the hallways en route to the respiteblock. It takes a while and you get lost more than once, but you find the path to the room. You kick the grate open and let gravity do the rest.

>Aitris: Awaken.

The sound of the ceiling grate clattering to the floor already took care of _that_ , thank you very much. You are surprised a second time when your partner drops from the vent.

"Byakka, what the hell are you doing?"

"Carrying out the mission, sleepyhead!" She has the biggest grin on her face.

"Well, at least one of us doesn't seem to be fighting a sore back, it seems. What did you find out?"

Byakka is _beaming_ now. "It's a rifle so you get to hold on to it. Here, catch!" She tosses you some kind of weapon that you barely catch in time to avoid letting it fall into the sopor slime.

Suddenly, the realization dawns on you. "Byakka, this... this is the prototype, isn't it?"

"Hehe, yep!"

You allocate the prototype to your Riflekind specibus. Your amazement at how well your partner gets down to business sometimes is never a thing that stops happening.

>Aitris and Byakka: Abscond.

You've done what you came here to do; a quick towelling-off of the slime and a change of clothes later, and it's time to blow this popsicle stand.

Unfortunately, you do not get very far outside the door to the respiteblock before you are stopped.

"Hello, ladies."

You turn around and oh Jegus, not _that_ guy. _He's_ the boss around here? You'd had your suspicions ever since you arrived but you had hoped you were simply mistaken. Sadly, that does not seem to be the case. The stories about this tool back at Guild HQ were the stuff of legends, and you have a feeling this encounter is going to be just embarrassing for all parties involved.

>Dualscar: Inquire.

"I don't think I've had the pleasure of seeing you two before. When did you arrive?"

The one in the green overcoat responds. "Two days ago, sir!"

"I see," you respond. "Didn't have any trouble finding the place? It's so hard finding good help when one's operations are as... discreet as mine need to be. I trust the accomodations are to your liking?"

Her friend answers this time. "Oh yes, the view in our respiteblock is simply amazing."

"So how did you two lovely ladies get mixed up with my crew, anyway? How well am I compensating you?"

>Aitris: Bluff.

What even IS the going rate for hired goonery, anyway? "Oh, you know how it is, just a couple of girls looking for good work. Thirty scarabs a day is what we agreed upon, if I recall?"

He begins laughing to himself. "Trick question. I don't pay my subordinates." Welp, your cover is blown. "Hand it over."

"I don't know what you're talking about," you lie.

"The prototype, lapdogs. You don't think I'm on to your game? Did you not question how easy breaking in managed to be? Did you once stop to think maybe the pieces lined up a little _too_ well?"

You draw the prototype from your strife deck and take aim. "What's the matter, Orphaner? Surprised? We have what we came for. My partner and I will be leaving now."

"Do you?"

You aren't sure what he's talking about until another copy of the prototype materializes from his own strife specibus. "Did you not hear what I just told you? My dears, I've been expecting you! Surely you didn't think I hadn't planned for this."

You place his head in the sights of the weapon and pull the trigger.

*click*

It's a fake.

He has you down the sights of his own weapon, the _real_ prototype. The crystal harpoon of his rifle begins to glow brighter.

"How disappointing. I really had expected better than this from the Guild."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh this just keeps getting lamer and lamer
> 
> Oh well, one more chapter to go and it's back to the main story, I promise


	4. Altercation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GRIEF!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last part was taking a while to write, so I'm splitting it into two parts.

Location: DUALSCAR'S HIDEOUT  
TIME REMAINING UNTIL EXTRACTION: 11:53:21

>Aitris or Byakka: DO SOMETHING!

Right! Because dying here by this douchebag's hands just won't do at all.

"Any last words?" Dualscar asks, as his rifle finishes charging.

"Yeah. Duck," Byakka replies. He is understandably confused until her SMG materializes and she uses it to blow a hole in a nearby steam pipe, throwing off his aim and giving the two hunters time to abscond.

The both of you duck behind opposite walls in the fork in the hallway. You'll have to leave soon, somehow, if you want to make it in time for evac, but you can't leave without the prototype.

>Aitris: Aggress.

You can hear Dualscar's footsteps as he makes his way down the hall. "I may be outnumbered, Guild puppets, but you're outgunned. You won't win this."

The prototype may take some time to charge before firing, you think, which gives you the speed advantage. But you are unsure what the weapon is capable of, so you have to be careful.

Still. If you can end the conflict here, you've got to try. You peek your head around the corner and start bringing up the ALTERNIAN PEACEMAKER to eye level when you notice the tip of the stolen weapon's crystal harpoon is glowing white hot.

You move back behind the wall just in time. The prototype discharges with a booming KRACKOW, firing a stream of energy that leaves a wicked scorch mark on the wall in front of you and your cardiovascular pump thumping in your chest.

He wasn't kidding. You _are_ outgunned. You're going to have to use some clever teamwork to win the day here.

"Come now, ladies, why prolong the inevitable?" His footsteps draw closer.

You relay hand signals to Byakka as quickly as the particulars of your plan can form in your mind. You point at her and raise your pinky, middle and index fingers with the back of your hand facing her ( _ready your claws_ ); you point at her again and motion with your left hand, then point at yourself and motion with your right ( _you take the left side of the hallway, I'll take the right_ ); you hold up one, then two, then three fingers, tilt your head toward the corridor, and ball your right hand into a fist ( _on three, we're charging this bastard_ ).

You return your pistol to its specibus and draw CUELEBRE'S TALONS.

>Byakka: Ready for the assault.

The what now? Aitris is kind of flailing her arms around but you have no idea what any of it means. You think you understand when she brings out her double-bladed sword though, so you put away your SMG and unsheathe the claws of LOGAN'S PIGSTICKERS.

Aitris begins counting down with her right hand.

5  
4  
3  
2  
1

>Aitris and Byakka: Charge!

Aitris spins around the corner, Talons gleaming in the florescent light of the hallway. You follow behind her, claws drawn and held behind you. Dualscar doesn't have enough time to get a shot off. He successfully parries Aitris's attack with the side of the prototype. Your attack doesn't quite hit home, but it does knock the prototype to the floor and down the hall. He scrambles to retrieve it but Aitris pulls the fake prototype out of her sylladex and tosses it toward the real one before moving to attack Dualscar again.

You aren't sure which one is the real one, but you're pretty sure Dualscar does. You don't know how long this trick will distract him.

>Dualscar: Easily identify the fake, pick up the real prototype, and get to blasting.

Oh, you will, no question about that. Just as soon as you identify which one of these damned guns is the real deal! Really, you should have had some kind of identifying mark put on the fake. This is just poor planning on your part.

>Aitris: Aggress.

You bring the Talons around to strike, but Dualscar anticipates your attack and sidesteps. A rapier materializes in his right hand, a dagger in his left. Looks like the prototype wasn't the only piece of military tech he was interested in.

"A double blade? Interesting choice of weapon, my lady. A bit more style than substance, though, and not much good in such narrow quarters, I'm afraid. I believe the upper hand is mine."

In response, you twist and pull apart the handle of the Talons, separating them into two individual swords.

" _Clever girl._ "

>Byakka: Quick, while he's distracted, blow him away!

You sheathe your claws and bring out the EQUALIZER handgun. You pull it up to aim at your target and pull the trigger, but the shot goes wild as you flinch at the clash of metal on metal and the weapon flies out of your hand. As quickly as you could attempt your attack, Dualscar replaced his dagger with a pistol of his own, and shot yours out of your hand.

"I suggest you don't try that again." _Damn_ , he's a crack shot.

He puts away the pistol, reclaims the dagger and turns his head toward Aitris again. "Now. Where were we?"

She responds, "You're surprisingly noble for someone of your occupation. Not going to shoot me?"

"Well, that would hardly be sporting now, would it? And one-sided fights are so _boring_."

>Aitris: Grief!

You advance, blades gleaming in your hands and lashing out at your opponent. But he is quick, and skilled in the art of the duel. Every thrust is sidestepped, every swing parried, every feint anticipated. Dualscar's reputation may lie in marksmanship, but you suspect close-quarters combat is his true element.

This guy's _good_.

You can't quite place his fighting style; the rapier-and-dagger stance he takes is reminiscent of the style used by the Fencerazers, but his technique more closely resembles the armed combat practiced by the ancient knights of West Alternia. The weaving of styles certainly makes for an interesting battle.

You don't really have time to appreciate this while trying to avoid being ran through, though.

You deflect an incoming rapier stab with the flat of your right blade and sidestep the follow-through with the dagger. You duck the elbow, dodge the trip attempt and thrust with the left; he parries and leaves you staggered, then kicks your legs out from under you. You roll in time to avoid being stabbed in the back, then counter with a sweep kick of your own. He drops to the floor and you pounce, Talons crossed at his throat.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't slice your neck open right now."

"Flattering, but I already have a kismesis." _Christ_ , what an asshole.

The sound of steel against steel rings behind you, and you instinctively turn around. Byakka is fighting off a trio of guards attracted by the noise of your scuffle with Dualscar. The distraction is just enough to break your concentration and allow Dualscar a clear shot at your face.

Dude's got one _hell_ of a right hook. While you're seeing stars, he crawls over, scoops up the prototype, and starts making his escape.

>Byakka: Handle it.

"Don't worry about me, Aitris, I've got this! You go after the prototype, I'll keep these guys busy!"

Aitris is back on her feet soon enough, and nods in your direction before running to catch up with Dualscar. You drop back into a fighting stance and flash a grin at your assailants.

"The mighty huntress wonders if her prey knows what its gotten itself into!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like I was wrong, still one more part to go, and then we get back to Re: Champion. Which, by the way, isn't dead! Still working on that, I promise.
> 
> So this took a while to write! I simply could not do the fight scene between Aitris and Dualscar justice. It plays out way better in my head, and I'm afraid my descriptors here simply are not sufficient.
> 
> At one point I considered drawing mini-panels to go along with the fight, but 1) I can't draw for shit, 2) I don't have a tablet and my scanner is broken, and 3) I avoided a physical description of Aitris for a reason, and adapting any sort of visual media would have totally given away her (most likely at this point, non-)secret identity, and I want to at least get to the end of this fic before that happens.


	5. Extraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our heroes confront Dualscar and attempt to make a clean getaway.

>Aitris: Pursue.

Well yeah, letting this seafaring asshole get away with the prototype isn't an option. You give chase, leaving the task of defeating the guards to Byakka.

>Byakka: Grief!

Three on one? This is gonna be interesting. They think they have the upper hand, of course. Three burly guards versus you, with your small frame and slight build? No contest. Or so they think. The first thing you ever learned about hand-to-hand combat was how to exploit a fight against multiple opponents larger than yourself to your advantage. The utilization of momentum, the flow of direction, how to direct that motion, it's all the key to your fighting style. The harder these goons throw themselves at you, the more they'll practically beat _themselves_ up.

It's kind of unfair, really, just how badly these guys are going to lose this fight.

The first one comes at you hard, swinging his scimitar with all the fury he can muster. His charging attack is all too easy to sidestep, his arm barely a challenge to catch, and all that forward momentum is effortlessly redirected toward the floor for the easy KO. One down, two to go.

The other two approach you more carefully than the first, now that they're aware of what you're capable of. Not that it'll help them, you think, but they're welcome to try. The two of them try to coordinate their attacks, thinking a simultaneous assault will earn them victory. The left advances high; the right sweeps low. Neither attack finds its mark. You step back and dodge, then lash out with your claws, knocking the blade out of one of the thug's hands and scoring a trio of cuts down his arm. The uninjured goon follows up with a kick, but you catch his leg before it collides with your torso. He earns an elbow to the face and a broken leg for his troubles.

>Byakka: Now that the goons are dealt with, follow Aitris!

You turn toward the corridor Aitris ran down, only to find another group of Dualscar's thugs arriving on the scene. They unsheathe their swords and assume fighting stances.

Looks like your work isn't quite finished yet. Let's see what Aitris is up to.

>Aitris: Catch up already.

You're trying!

Your vision is still a little blurry from your face's introduction to Dualscar's fist, but you've followed him to the best of your ability to what appears to be some kind of storage facility. The crates and various pieces of hardware scattered about and hanging from the ceiling are what tips you off to this being a storage area. Nearly taking a laser blast to the chest is what clues you in to the fact that he might be hiding out here.

You retrieve THE INSPECTOR'S ASSOCIATE after taking cover. The mission briefing didn't specifically call for an assassination, but didn't expressly forbid it, either. If putting a round in this tool is what the mission calls for, then that's what you've gotta do.

"Give up, Guild puppet!" he taunts from across the room.

"I came for the prototype. I'm not leaving without it. Can't have you dashing rogue types blasting lasers at everyone, after all," you reply.

He laughs at that. "Ha ha ha ha! You think I want to mass-produce the Crosshairs? Not bloody likely! You think I can trust a bunch of low-blooded thugs to handle weapons capable of this much destruction? No, I've a far greater goal in mind."

You can hear the sound of his boots on metal but you don't dare try to visually confirm his position yet. "No, with this weapon, I'll be able to devastate the Marquise's fleets single-handedly. When I personally decimate ship after ship of hers, she'll have no choice but to hate me. It'll be a legendary rivalry for the ages."

He's doing all this to _fill a quadrant?_

You peer around the corner of the box you're using for cover and spy Dualscar perched atop the catwalk extending across the center of the room. You bring the rifle's scope to eye-level and try to steady your aim. The crystal tip of the prototype glows white-hot, and you hide just in time to avoid another barrage, or the brunt of it, at least.

The energy stream is close enough to you that it singes your left arm, blackening your sleeve and leaving a nasty burn, turning your arm an ugly shade of what _should_ be yellow or brown but isn't. The hemoshift is wearing off, if this is any indication. Best to keep that arm concealed under what's left of your uniform then, even though contact with your fried skin hurts like a _bitch_.

Your mind snaps back to your current predicament as you realize that you have an opening, as the weapon has to spend some time recharging between volleys. You scope out Dualscar's position and see he's trying to flee across the catwalk to an upper room. You'll have none of that.

You try to line up his central mass with your crosshairs, but your left arm is screaming, shaking up your aim. You squeeze the trigger, hoping you'll at least hit him. A spray of purple leaves the exit wound in his shoulder as he drops the prototype, sending it falling off the catwalk. You sprint to retrieve it, just barely beating Dualscar as he _jumps_ from above to claim it for himself. You smash his face with the butt of your sniper rifle, leaving him staggered before he has a chance to reclaim it. You put away  THE INSPECTOR'S ASSOCIATE and allocate the prototype to your strife deck.

You have acquired    
AHAB'S CROSSHAIRS   
.

>Aitris: Escape.

Right before you leave this room, Dualscar has come to his senses enough to make some attempt at stopping you. He pulls out his pistol and tries to fire at you, but he's still reeling from seeing THE INSPECTOR'S ASSOCIATE up close and personal, so the rounds go wild, missing their mark.

You make your way through the facility, back the way you came. When you meet up with Byakka, she's surrounded by fallen guards. Various shades and hues of red, yellow and brown stain her claws. You shoot her an inquisitive glance and she responds, "they attacked me. They were asking fur it. Wait, I mean _for_ it, sorry."

The way her speech slips into cat puns when her adrenaline gets pumping would be hilarious if the current situation weren't so serious.

She inquires about your arm but you tell her it's okay. It hurts like a grubfucker but it's still functional, you'll dress it once the two of you are out of here. The two of you make your way to the elevator leading to the ground level and punch the button to start the ascent. Now there's nothing to do but wait. And think about how both of you are kind of sitting ducks right now. They could flood the elevator shaft right now and that would be the end of it.

Either they don't know you're on the way up, or they can't actually flood the elevator shaft, because your ride to the surface concludes without incident.

You're definitely sure it's the latter when you exit the elevator and there are guards posted in every doorway, armed with various melee weapons.

"Shit!" you exclaim.

"To the right!" Byakka shouts, and starts running for the stairway leading up to your entry point. You follow her, still holding the prototype. The guard awaiting the two of you that way is armed with some kind of club. You easily knock him out with the end of your weapon. Poor sap never stood a chance.

The two of you make your way up to the storage room where you broke in and wedge a busted chair under the doorknob to barricade the door. You think carefully about how you're going to make your escape. You decaptchalogue the network cable Byakka used to get you up here during the break-in and tie it to the workbench bolted to the floor. You're about to tie the other end to your waist and rapell down the side of the building to ground level when _oh shit they broke down the door quick there's no time_

>Aitris and Byakka: Escape your current predicament in a badass manner.

You throw your arms up to protect your head and sprint toward the window. You think for an instant "this is gonna hurt" before your feet leave the ground and you break through the glass.

It's only a one-story fall. You can take it. You've trained for this just in _case_ you'd have to do it someday. You hit the ground rolling, just like you practiced and _oh fucking hell your grubfucking arm, sweet Jegus your arm_

To say it hurts is a bit of an understatement. You think you might have broken it for a second until you remember Dualscar gave you a wicked burn.

Byakka lands next to you and immediately takes off for the section of fence the two of you came in through. "Hurry, Aitris, there's no time!" You can't argue with that. You locate your entry point and make your way to the other side, then you start booking it toward the evac point, which is where Byakka crashed your ship.

You stop to catch your breath once you think you've put enough distance between yourself and what has to be a group of _very_ pissed off guards by now, but Byakka urges you to keep moving. You do so, albeit a bit begrudgingly.

You ask her, "we've got plenty of time until evac arrives. What's the hurry?" Except you are cut off at "What's" by a huge explosion behind you. You look back to see what's left of the shack in flames as debris rains down.

"Because I left a bomb in the elevator."

Oh yeah, you remember now. Byakka handling the explosives was never a thing that stopped happening.

>Aitris and Byakka: Make your way to evac.

You make your way back to the crashed ship without incident. You think you are being followed a few times, but nothing comes of it.

...Until you actually arrive at your destination. Dualscar's goons are all over the place, not to mention Dualscar himself. How the hell did he get here before you, anyway?

No time to think about that. The hail of gunfire headed in your direction says they've spotted you, too. Byakka takes a round to her shoulder and nearly drops her SMG before taking cover behind a rock formation. You take shelter behind a nearby tree and glance at your partner. Olive green seeps from the back of her shoulder, and it's in her dominant arm, too. This isn't good.

You retrieve the ALTERNIAN PEACEMAKER and lean out of cover. You line up the sights on the nearest opponent and squeeze the trigger, placing a round right between the enemy's eyes as they slump to the ground. You do the same to the guy behind him before returning to cover.

"Kill them! One thousand scarabs to the one who brings me the Crosshairs!" Dualscar's men advance on your position. Byakka tries to aim the PEZZ INDUSTRIES PRAY-N-SPRAY but the burst of fire goes wild due to having to rely on her other arm to keep the weapon steady. She puts away the SMG and brings out THE EQUALIZER but the high-caliber handgun's recoil throws her aim off before she can manage to take down more than one target.

You're going to have to provide enough firepower for the both of you. You equip AHAB'S CROSSHAIRS and lean out of cover again. You sight the nearest thug, pull the trigger, and nothing happens.

You realize you have no fucking idea how to use this weapon.

You pull your sidearm back out of your strife specibus. "Aitris, catch!" Byakka yells to you, and you turn just in time to catch THE EQUALIZER.

STRIFE SPECIBUS alteration detected. Adjusting...  
Complete. You are now wielding 2XHANDGUNKIND.

>Aitris: Show these fools who they're dealing with.

THE EQUALIZER has more kick to it than you're used to, but it's nothing you can't handle. You make short work of the first one you sight, putting a pair of rounds in his chest. The one behind him opens fire and you dive behind Byakka's rock. He attempts to round it and attack you; you sweep his legs and pistol whip him for the KO.

You peer out of cover from one side while Byakka does the same from the other, trying to administer some suppressing fire with her SMG. You take down three, four more guards before the sound of someone landing next to you makes you turn to your left.

Dualscar punches you in the jaw, knocking you down and sending both pistols flying out of your hands. Apparently he climbed over the rock formation while his goons moved in.

>Byakka: Aggress.

You swing your SMG in an attempt to catch Dualscar with it, but he ducks the attack and follows up with a powerful right hook. You slump to the ground.

Byakka is KO'd. Changing active character...  
Command?

>Aitris: Rearm yourself.

You try to pull a weapon, any weapon, from your strife deck. You get the prototype. It'll have to do.

You dodge Dualscar's advancing kick and roll out of the way in time to avoid taking a pistol round. You kick his pistol out of his hand and get up as he staggers. You still have no idea how to actually prime the prototype for firing, but it's still basically a rifle, and you know better than anyone just how well they can be turned into melee weapons. You swing the butt of the Crosshairs at him but miss. You follow through with an elbow that catches him in the nose, bloodying it and making him stumble backwards, then advance and plant the end of the gun in his abdomen, making him double over. You're about to bring it crashing into the back of his skull for the knockout blow when he responds with a fierce uppercut, knocking you down.

You hear the roar of the engine of an approaching Alternian dropship. Your ride is here. Unfortunately, you are in no shape to board.

Dualscar approaches your prone form. You are clutching the prototype in your good arm as the other screams in protest from the burn. Or, at least it _was_ your good arm before Dualscar _stomped_ on it to reclaim the prototype.

"I'll be taking back what's mine, now." He easily loosens the gun from your grip. You try to equip THE INSPECTOR'S ASSOCIATE but your arms are in no condition to operate such a weapon. You reach for the ALTERNIAN PEACEMAKER, the only one of the handguns you can find at the moment, and line Dualscar up in your sights, but the hollow *click* of an empty clip taunts you. And you are most definitely not in any shape to be fighting with him hand-to-hand.

A voice calls from the lowering dropship. "Come on, we've got to get out of here! Gunboats approaching from the north, if we don't get out of here now we're sitting waterfowl for their AA guns!"

"Why!" you shout at Dualscar, as he turns to leave. "Why let me escape? Is this some kind of sick game?"

"There's no fun in simply killing someone who could make for a worthy opponent, my dear. Perhaps next time we meet, we'll be more evenly matched. I look forward to it!" He disappears into the surrounding foliage.

Was... was this cretin _blackhitting_ on you?!

You stumble to your feet, still dizzy from Dualscar's uppercut. Byakka is stirring, which is good because it means you won't have to carry her with your busted arms. Reluctantly, you board the dropship with your partner.

The guy helping you up, medicrusher from the look of it, takes one glance at the two of you once you're on board and decides he needs to tend your injuries. But all you can think of, as he prepares to set your broken arm, is that this is the first mission you've outright failed.

==>

Your wounds dressed, you report back to the Chief once you're back on board your home ship and in your respiteblock. He's not thrilled that you couldn't reclaim the prototype, but there are more pressing matters than one lost weapon that will see mass production eventually.

He tells you to rest up. Once the two of you are 100% again, he's got another mission for you.

(A perigree or so later.)

You've just returned from your latest visit to the infirmary; you've been cleared for action again. Your broken arm has fully healed, and all that remains of your burn is a scar that's barely even visible.

Right on cue, the fax machine cranks to life, printing out your latest assignment. The Chief didn't waste any time in getting this one out.

"Hey Byakka, new mission for us."

"Yeah? What's this one? Not going back to Alternia again, I hope!"

>Aitris: Read new mission briefing.

~ THE GUILD OF BOUNTY HUNTERMINATORS ~  
~ MISSION BRIEFING ~

MISSION DETAILS   
LOCATION: Warship XXVII-DCAB "Her Condescension's Wrath"

AGENTS DISPATCHED: Aitris Redglare, Byakka Lamiace

TARGET: one Karkinos Histrellin, aged nine (9) sweeps, lime green blood, wanted for crimes against the hemospectrum. Histrellin is to be considered armed and dangerous. Histrellin is to be brought in ALIVE. Agents dispatched will report to Warship XXVII-DCAB's Captain upon completion of the mission and turn custody of Histrellin over to the Captain.

CLIENT: Captain Vermille Suzach

~ END BRIEFING ~

* *  
TO BE CONTINUED IN  
RE: CHAMPION  
* *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aitris's identity: revealed! Hahaha like anyone hadn't guessed it already. Yeah it doesn't really fit with the eight-letter thing in canon, but "Neophyte" does, and that's totally a title and not a name so hey
> 
> Her name _was_ going to be Tirsia, but that would have given away her identity instantly so I used an anagram instead
> 
> Look for these two to show up in Re: Champion at some point! Also, read that! There should be a new chapter of it up by the time you have read this, barring any formatting disasters.
> 
> I've noticed I write my best fight scenes if I type them out as they happen in my head, without stopping to think about it. I hope I did this one justice.


End file.
